American Eloquence, Volume 1 eBook

But the outrages and injuries of England—­bred
up in the principles of the Revolution—­I
can never palliate, much less defend them. I well
remember flying, with my mother and her new-born child,
from Arnold and Philips; and we were driven by Tarleton
and other British Pandours from pillar to post, while
her husband was fighting the battles of his country.
The impression is indelible on my memory; and yet (like
my worthy old neighbor, who added seven buckshot to
every cartridge at the battle of Guilford, and drew
fine sight at his man) I must be content to be called
a Tory by a patriot of the last importation. Let
us not get rid of one evil (supposing it possible)
at the expense of a greater; mutatis mutandis,
suppose France in possession of the British naval
power—­and to her the trident must pass should
England be unable to wield it—­what would
be your condition? What would be the situation
of your seaports, and their seafaring inhabitants?
Ask Hamburg, Lubec! Ask Savannah! * * *

Shall republicans become the instruments of him who
has effaced the title of Attila to the “scourge
of God!” Yet, even Attila, in the falling fortunes
of civilization, had, no doubt, his advocates, his
tools, his minions, his parasites, in the very countries
that he overran; sons of that soil whereon his horse
had trod; where grass could never after grow.
If perfectly fresh, instead of being as I am, my memory
clouded, my intellect stupefied, my strength and spirits
exhausted, I could not give utterance to that strong
detestation which I feel toward (above all other works
of the creation) such characters as Gengis, Tamerlane,
Kouli-Khan, or Bonaparte. My instincts involuntarily
revolt at their bare idea. Malefactors of the
human race, who have ground down man to a mere machine
of their impious and bloody ambition! Yet under
all the accumulated wrongs, and insults, and robberies
of the last of these chieftains, are we not, in point
of fact, about to become a party to his views, a partner
in his wars? * * *

I call upon those professing to be republicans to
make good the promises, held out by their republican
predecessors, when they came into power; promises
which, for years afterward, they honestly, faithfully
fulfilled. We have vaunted of paying off the national
debt, of retrenching useless establishments; and yet
have now become as infatuated with standing armies,
loans, taxes, navies, and war as ever were the Essex
Junto!

ADMISSION OF LOUISIANA.

JOSIAH QUINCY,

—­OfMassachusetts.’ (Born
1772, died 1864.)

ON THE ADMISSION OF LOUISIANA—­HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, JAN. 14, 1811.